Indexing device



' Feb. 5, 1935.

R. O. BLACKWOOD INDEXINGIDEVIIGE Filed July 24, 1933 l R 0 Bias/{Modal p vaNfoie Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES meow INDEXING DEVICE Robert Officer Blackwood, Melbourne, Victoria,

Australia 1 Application July 24, 1933, Serial No. 682,008 In Australia September 27, 1932 3 Claims.

This invention has reference to an improved indexing device and has been devised to provide such a device that will be of neat and compact appearance and readily manipulatable in order to bring before the user the desired information for reference.

The object of this invention is to provide an indexing device having a cabinet or casing with an open front from which selected sheets or leaves may be lowered into the view of a user while the lowered sheet or leaf is retained in a horizontal position on a resilient buffer or ledge.

An indexing device in accordance with my invention may comprise a cabinet or casing with an open front in which is disposed a nest or plurality of indexed sheets or leaves arranged in spaced and pivoted relationship on a lower transverse rod, the nest of sheets or leaves being supported on and above a slidable base'plate which is removable from the cabinet in order that the said sheets or slides may be detached, interchanged or reassembled.

An essential feature embodied in the invention comprises the mounting of the indexed sheets or leaves upon a transverse rod extended across the cabinet above a slidable base plate carrying brackets to support said rod, the said sheets or leaves being pivotally mounted upon said rod in spaced and parallel relationship whilev resilient buffers or ledges are included to support the lower edges of the sheets or leaves both in the normal upper position or in the lowered position, the lowering action taking place through the open front of the cabinet or casingQ A further essential feature embodied in the invention consists in the provision of slotted brackets which are fitted to the front lower corner of each sheet or leaf to receive the transverse supporting rod, and fibre or like washers are disposed on said rod where necessary to obtain a silent and smooth action when lowering the end sheets or leaves for reference.

A further essential feature comprises the transverse resilient buffers or. ledges on which the edges of the sheets or leaves rest when in the normal and lowered position, the said buffers permitting the sheets to be smoothly operated without jarring or noise.

In order to more readily understand the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing in which:--

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an indexing device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the indexing device.

' Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of the indexing device.

Figures 4 and 5 are views of details of the invention.

According to this invention the'indexing device preferably comprises a cabinet or casing 5 as illustrated in Figure l of substantially rectangular shapeand of desired height the front face 6 of the cabinet or casing 5 being open to permit one of one or more of a nest of sheets or leaves 7 to be lowered for reference. The sheets or leaves 7 incorporating descriptive matter for indexing purposes are pivotally mounted within the cabinet upon a freely slidable base plate 8 disposed in the floor or bottom 9 of the cabinet 5. To provide for the pivoting action to permit the sheets 7 to be dropped from the vertical to the horizontal each sheet 7 has fitted thereto a slotted bracket 10 of substantially L- shaped formation, said brackets 10 being fitted at the front lower corners of said sheets or leaves 7 which are slotted in alignment with the slot. in the boss 11 of the said brackets 10 whereby in assembly the sheets or leaves 7 may be positioned upon a transverse supporting rod 12 which extends through the brackets 10 and sheets 7 across and above the slidable base plate 8 at the front end thereof. This supporting rod 12 is received and housed in spaced brackets 13 dis-. posed at each side of the base plate 8 and formed integral with a metal strap 14 fitted to said base plate. In order to space said sheets or leaves, 7 from each other, washers 15 are provided on the front lower corners in alignment with the L-shape brackets 10 and preferably riveted to same so that the supporting rod 12 extends through. all the washers 15 and brackets 10 to provide for the pivoting action of the sheets or leaves 7, while the brackets 10 and washers 15 effect an even and parallel spacing of the sheets or leaves 7 within the cabinet 5 upon the said. transverse rod 12.

Mounted within the cabinet upon the base plate 8 at the rear end thereof is a transverse resilient buffer or ledge 17 upon which the rear and lower edges 18 of the sheetsor leaves 7 rest when in the normal position and if desired this buffer or ledge 17 may be formed with a plurality of grooves or recesses to accommodate each selective edge of the sheets or leaves 7. The bottom or floor 9 of the cabinet or casing 5 is extended forwardly as at 19 of the front open face 6 thereof as illustrated in Figure 1 in order that the slidable base plate 8 may be moved outwardly clear of the interior of the cabinet to permit the sheets or leaves '7 being interchanged or assembled in the first instance. The extreme forward edge of the floor 9 of the cabinet 5 is fitted with another transverse resilient buffer or ledge 20 upon which the front edges 21 of the sheets or leaves '7 impinge when dropped into the horizontal position for reference by the user.

The resilient buffers 17 and 20 described provide for expeditious and silent use of the sheets or leaves '7 which may be dropped on to the forward buffer 20 and then thrown upwardly after use so that the rear edge will contact with and rest on the inner transverse buffer 1'7; Each sheet '7 has fitted thereon an index letter of the alphabet in the usual manner and any other suitable indication means may be included therewith.

Disposed on the transverse rod 12 between the outer sheets '7 and the brackets 13 supporting said rod are felt or fibre washers 22 to prevent seizing of the metals in contact during the raising or lowering of the sheets '7 and also to eliminate noise or jarring. The sheets or leaves '1 are preferably composed of sheet metal with vertical recessed edges to accommodate paper sheets or cards 23 for indexing purposes the cards 23 being detachable in the usual manner and with the sheets or leaves constructed in accordance with this invention suitable clips 24 are incorporated to prevent the cards from curving outwardly at their centres so as to positively retain same flat against the wall of the sheet or leaf 7.

The brackets 13 for supporting the rod 12 carrying the pivoted sheets or leaves 7 are slotted in alignment to receive said rod which may be in the form of a long screw with the threaded end thereof engaging with the tapped slot or hole 24 of one of the brackets 13 the other end of said rod 12 being formed with a head with a groove therein for screwing purposes. The tapped slot or hole 24 in the bracket 13 is formed with a vertical cut 26 extending to the top of said bracket 13 whereby after the rod 12 has been threaded therein the bracket 13 may be clamped or crimped by any suitable tool to tighten or lock the rod 12 in the tapped hole 24. and thereby prevent rotation of said rod during the raising and/or lowering of the sheets or leaves '7.

As previously described each leaf or plate '7 has a card 23 or the like attached thereto of similar shape and dimensions, the card being indexed with any particular information which the user may require, and the sheets '7 are indexed in alphabetical order so that same may be lowered from the vertical to the horizontal when it is desired to use or acquire any information. On being lowered the leaf or sheet '7 rests on the front transverse buffer 20 and after use it may be thrown upwardly so that its lower edge will contact with the inner transverse buffer 17 as has been described.

The freely slidable base plate 8 at its forward end is fitted with a handle 2'7 to facilitate its movement in and out of the cabinet, the base plate 8 being of particular utility in that it affords a quick rnovernent of the nest of sheets '7 to remove same from the cabinet for adjustment or repair purposes.

If desired the base plate 8 and metal strap 14 may be dispensed with and the supporting rod 12 passed through holes in the sides of the cabinet and suitably secured by nuts. This would overcome the necessity of the employment of the base plate 8.

I do not wish to be arbitrarily confined to details since I may if necessary have to depart therefrom, and, while I have described the essential characteristics of my invention, I desire it to be understood that various suitable improvements and modifications may be embodided in the invention without departing from its spirit and scope.

I claim 1. An indexing device comprising a cabinet or casing having an open front face, a freely slidable base plate within said casing, spaced brackets on said base plate, a transverse rod supported by the spaced brackets, a plurality of indexed sheets or leaves freely mounted on said rod, a transverse buffer within the casing to support the lower rear edges of said sheets when in normal vertical position, an extended portion of the casing floor beyond the open front face and a forward transverse buffer fitted to the extended portion to receive the sheets or leaves in their lowered or horizontal position.

2. An indexing device comprising a cabinet or casing having an open front face, a freely slidable base plate within said casing, a transverse rod supported on spaced brackets fixed to the base plate and a plurality of nest of indexing sheets freely disposed on the transverse rod each of said sheets being fitted at the lower corners thereof with a slotted bracket at one side and a washer at the other side through which slotted bracket and washer the transverse rod passes substantially as set forth.

3. An indexing device comprising a cabinet or casing having an open front face, a freely slidable base plate within said casing, a plurality or nest of sheets carried by said base plate, an extended portion of the casing floor beyond the open front face and a transverse resilient buffer fitted to the outer end of the extended portion to support the sheets in their lowered position.

ROBERT OFFICER BLACKVJOOD. 

